Words: 1502
If the Military and Government Could Go on Strike… In an Ideal world when someone does not agree with their boss’s actions it would be a wonderful benefit to not go to work until your superior sees reason and conforms to the subordinates’ logic. There are some careers, In which this Is not only a great thought, but also an actual possibility. For example, unionized employees often go on strike when they have disagreements with management.
In the event that a group of employees decides to strike; these actions do in fact have their consequences, forever, oftentimes management will simply bring in non-union workers to temporarily cover for the employees who are on strike. This happens In many professions from factories to the education system I. E. The teacher’s union can strike. Common sense indicates this is not an option for the United States’ government and military personnel. The government should not have the right to go on strike; striking would compromise national security, moral of our troops, tourism and the economy as a whole.
The threat to national security has never been more real than now in the United States. In the past, there has been several wars. Some are within the country such as the CM War or Revolutionary War, while others with are territories such as Vietnam and Afghanistan. Today there Is a greater threat to the national security of the united States. Today, fighting is an ongoing war: a war terrorism, drugs, and even North Korea depending, on what the tiny dictator is feeling on a given day. In an article published in The Washington Post, “Shutdown Makes U. S.
More Vulnerable to Terrorist Attacks, Intelligence Officials Warn,” by Greg Miller, Miller quotes officials stating what a Government shutdown would mean for the war on Terror. One quote miller uses Is from the testimony of Senator James Clapper, advocating to the senate committee, “As each day goes by, the Impact and the Jeopardy to the safety and security of this country will increase. ” Senator Dianne Feinting, in a press release, concurs with Clapper stating “our shutdown is the biggest gift that we could possibly give our enemies. ” These senators are advocating that weakening our national security, even slightly, poses a real danger.
For instance, in the age of technology we are not Just vulnerable to physical attacks but also more instant attacks such as cyber. Subsequently, others argue the potential threat has been over exaggerated by the film industry and thus, the degree of danger the country could be in is not as drastic as citizens are lead to believe. For example, years back there was a movie called “Airborne One” with Harrison Ford, portraying terrorists taking over the presidential airplane. Again recently, we saw Gerard Butler retake the White House after Korean terrorist captured It In “Olympus has Fallen. These film depict the most extreme circumstances; over throwing the United States government at the highest in reality it leads to cultivating fear among Americans. Agreeing with both Clapper and Feinting, I can see the logic; limiting intelligence capabilities makes the United States vulnerable to existing and real threats. Another impact a shutdown has is on the moral of the men and women serving in the United States Military. During the most recent government shutdown in 2013 there was a law passed, barley before the shutdown, agreeing that the active duty military men and women would continue to be paid.
However, this has not always been the case. Consider for a moment, the moral of soldiers who put their lives on the line protecting a nation that is not going to pay them. Thoughts going from protecting a nation to how the family back home, depending on that paycheck, is going to pay a mortgage, electric bill or even school fees for their children. Erik Jorgensen A/3-7 FAA, 3 BCC, 25 ID, states in a document published in Army Magazine “the average level of soldier anxiety that accompanies any deployment was ratcheted twofold by the prospect of not getting paid and the hardship that (it) would put on their families. In the same article John Schuster 3 SEC ‘latest Jorgensen in stating, “work really stopped and morale dropped to the bottom until the shutdown was resolved. Soldiers who are distracted because of circumstances such as the government shutdown can essentially impact who they are doing their Jobs. When their Job is metrical to the protection of the United States it is important to maintain high level of focus. Any hard working individuals can relate to these soldiers. Especially, if your life is at stake, it would be distracting thinking of not being paid when your personal safety is a real factor.
However, there were several others quoted in the Army Magazine as stating that they were there under a sworn duty and would uphold their oath to protect their county. Many stated their bases did not see much of an impact. While it is true, these men and women of the United States Armed Forces are dedicated to defending the county to which they have sworn an oath. However, I can understand Jorgensen, our troops do not need the distraction of worrying about their families back home while being deployed, risking their very lives, to protect our country.
In addition to the impact on the military, the shutdown also affects local communities. For example, consider the impact on the communities that rely on tourism. During a government shutdown, many federal parks and attractions will be closed. Some of these are large money makers to their communities. For instance, the Grand Canyon generates millions in revenues, tourists who flock to Washington D. C. To visit monuments, buildings and museums, such as the Smithsonian which will all be closed to tourist during the shutdown. In fact, over 400 national parks and attractions were closed costing several communities millions of dollars a day.
Arizona Capitol Times ran an article by Jack Fitzpatrick, titled “Government Shutdown Could Cost State Millions as Nation Parks Close. ” In this article Fitzpatrick cites National Parks Conservation Association, Visitors to Arizona national parks spent an average of $2. 7 million a day in in each of the last two Octobers. ” He continues, Visitors at Grand Canyon National Park alone spend $1. 2 million per day the association said. ” This is reinforced in Gregory Sorter’s article, “Shutdown’s Economic Toll on Parks: $76 Million a Day,” printed in USA TODAY.
Sorter breaks it down to: “lost visitors: 715,000 a day, lost spending: $76 million a day, lost revenue to the federal government, in the form of entrance fees and rentals: dollars but also Jobs. For example, a tour guide would lose potential income not avian access to national attractions. Losses of this significance can really impact a community’s economy, especially if it is a small community that relies on tourism for their vitality. On the other hand, people argue the closure of national parks is a small price to pay in the grand scheme of things.
When a “small price” to pay racks up millions each day, people would agree with Fitzpatrick and Sorter, these are not small amounts being lost. Aside from loses of revenue from tourism, the overall cost of a government shutdown is essentially counterproductive. Expenses of a government shutdown include several elements. As discussed, it costs the government lost revenue from tourism. When non-essential employees come back from the shutdown, they will receive back pay for work that was not performed. Other cost may include possible overtime pay to catch up on the work that was not being done during the shutdown.
An article on www. Nephews. Com, “Government Shutdown: Cost Could be Up to $24 Billion,” by John Schooner, Schooner indicates estimates from “Economists at Standard & Poor’s estimate the total cost at about $24 billion… ” There are those who Nil say, this is the cost of the “business” of government. On the other had it would be insider bad business if a corporation spent that much money to essentially get nowhere. In conclusion, the effects of government shutting down, or going on strike if [oh will, is a disadvantageous situation for the nation.
Several sources agree the government shutdown is ultimately bad for national security, our military personnel, communities that rely on tourism income and the economy as a whole. However, the United States has to have the option to shut down, thus ensuring that congress and the senate are not forced to approve every measure put before it; essentially changing the democracy more into a dictatorship. But to summarize, this most recent shut down was because of a vote to approve government spending for the upcoming fiscal year.
Keeping this in mind it should not be k to shut down the government, especially over money, when in turn it costs the county billions more.